Marc Hulson is a London based visual artist.
His practice is devoted primarily to painting and drawing and is informed by a longstanding engagement with experimental, speculative and supernatural fiction. Since 1998 his work has focussed on the development of a lexicon of imagery, organised around a principal of alternation between the spectral and the visceral, and on the pictorial tension generated by this relationship.
He also practices collaboratively in diverse fields (moving image, sound, installation, performance) and contributes to the programme at Five Years, a London-based artists’ association and project-space. His work has been exhibited at public, private and independent galleries in the U.K. and internationally. He is a Lecturer in MA Fine Art at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London.
EDUCATION:
M.A. Fine Art: Goldsmiths College, University of London
B.A. (Hons) Fine Art (Painting): North Staffordshire Polytechnic
SOLO & DUO / COLLABORATIVE EXHIBITIONS:
2025
‘Complications’ , The Second Act, London
‘FALL’ , Five Years, London (with Kristaps Ancāns )
2022
‘THE INBETWEEN’, The Bomb factory Art Foundation, London
2019
‘Saturn’, Transition Two, London (with Alex Schady)
2018
‘HOUSEKEEPER’, Sagacity Art Space, Brussels
2015
‘What is Voice?’, Portman Gallery, London (with Samia Malik)
2014
‘The Yellow Sleep’, Kunstverein Heppenheim, Germany
‘Bubblegum’s Funeral’, Punk & Sheep, London (with Paul Curran)
2010
‘Good Tidings’, Five Years, London
2009
‘One room is never clean but its dirt must become irrelevant’, Hovel, London
2008
‘Maskwork’, Five Years, London (with Esther Planas)
2007
‘Untitled Sequence 1998-2007’, Five Years, London
Outline Foundation, Art Prague, Vystavni sin Manes, Prague (with Dirk Jan Jager)
2006
‘El Diablo en la Pintura‘, Club der Polnischen Versager, Berlin (with Esther Planas)
2001
don’tmiss, Frankfurt
2000
Danielle Arnaud, London (with Esther Planas)
1999
‘A thousand moonlit kisses’, Five Years, London
1997
accident, London
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2025
‘Sleight of Hand’, Terrace Gallery, London
‘When the Wind Blows’, Domobaal, London (collaborative works included in Kristaps Ancāns’ solo exhibition)
‘Metahorror 25’, The Good Rice, London
2024
‘Metahorror’, B.O.T.H Gallery, London
‘Ascension’, Koppel 180, London
‘Sideshow’, Lethaby Gallery, London
2023
‘We Lived Happily During the War’ Cross Lane Projects, London
‘Vestibule’, Lethaby Gallery, London
2022
‘Bad Ideas’, Tallin Art Hall, Estonia
2021
‘Alias’, Platforms Project, Athens
2020
’25 Years’, Danielle Arnaud, London
‘Picture Palace’, Transition 2, London
2020
‘MASC⎜MASK ⎜MASQUE’, Platforms NET 2020
2018
‘OVERPR!NT’ (curated by Jean Pierre Muller), Centre de la Gravure et de L’Image Imprimee, La Louviere, Belgium
2017
‘Annihilation Event’ (curated by Louisa Minkin), Lethaby Gallery, London
‘Luxury Complex: Repossession’ (with Lisa Cradduck, Dean Kenning, Andy Sharp), Five Years, London
‘Perhaps you can’t even begin to imagine’ (curated by Rolin E Blok), Stocq72, Brussels
2015
‘Luxury Complex: Remembering Satan’ (with Lisa Cradduck, Dean Kenning, Andy Sharp), Five Years, London
2014
‘Death and Dying’, MAG3, Vienna (curated by David Lillington)
‘3AM: wonder, paranoia and the restless night’ (curated by Angela Kingston), Chapter, Cardiff;
Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange, Penzance; Ferens Art Gallery, Hull
2013
‘3AM: wonder, paranoia and the restless night’ (curated by Angela Kingston), The Bluecoat, Liverpool
‘Behind the Eyes’ (curated by Beth Harland), Gallery North, Newcastle
‘Fragments’, Five Years, London
2012
‘Lines in Drawings’ (curated by Dustiin Ericksen), 43 Inverness Steet, London
‘Artists Merchandising Art’, Wonderloch Kellerland, Berlin
2011
‘Fraternise – The Salon’, Beaconsfield, London
‘The Weaklings’ (curated by Dennis Cooper), Five Years, London
‘Peeping Tom’ (curated by Keith Coventry), Kunsthal KAdE, Amersfoort, The Netherlands
‘The Magic Sexy Templeloch of Wonderspirit’, Wonderloch Kellerland, Berlin
2010
‘Transzendenz Inc Unlimited’ (curated by Rene Luckhardt & Heike Kelter), Autocentre, Berlin
‘Peeping Tom’ (curated by Keith Coventry), Vegas, London
‘Supernatural’ (curated by Dan Hays), Charlie Dutton Gallery, London
‘Best of Invites’, Wonderloch Kellerland, Berlin
‘East End Promise’, Londonnewcasttle Project Space, London
2009
‘Paper Rules’, Apartment Drashcan, Vienna
‘Transzendenz Inc Unlimited’, The Forgotten Bar Project, Berlin
‘Free Association’, Area 53, Vienna
‘May Day: The Dark Times’ (curated by Paul Sakoilsky), F-ish, Hastings
2008
‘Garden of the Sleep of Love’, Five Years, London
‘Underwood’, Ballhaus Ost, Berlin
The Forgotten Bar Project, Berlin
‘Awopbopaloobop’, Transition Gallery, London
2007
‘Spectre vs Rector’, The Residence Gallery, London
‘Climate of Change’, 235 Union Street, London
‘Goo Goo Muck’, Five Years, London
2006
‘Viewing Club 09’, Sezession Wichtelgasse, Vienna
‘Frenzy: L’art decoratif d’aujord’hui’, The Metropole Galleries, Folkestone
‘Viewing Club Live’, Lovelite / Autocenter, Berlin
2005
‘Balmoral versus Mainstream / Spor Klubu’, Zweiter Berliner Kunstsalon, Berlin
‘Crow’ (curated by AAS), The Custard Factory, Birmingham
2004
‘Vinyl 2‘, Redux, London
‘Black’ (curated by Erich Weiss), Galerie Nikki Diana Marquardt, Paris
‘Pub Crawl’, 39, London
‘Sunrise / Sunset’ (curated by Amanda Church & Courtney Martin), Smack Mellon Gallery, New York
‘I can c my way home’ (curated by Tariq Alvi & Michael Curran), Spacex Gallery, Exeter
2003
‘Tender Prey’, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam
‘Spacemen’, M.O.T. Gallery, London
‘Science Fiction Double Feature’ (curated by AAS), UCE, Birmingham
2002
‘Silence and Darkness’, Outline, Amsterdam
‘Fata Morgana’, Five Years, London
2001
‘Fata Morgana’ (curated by Hilde Teerlinck), E.S.A.P., Perpignan
‘America’, Gallery Westland Place, London
‘Skank’ (curated by Edward Winkleman), Plus Ultra Gallery, New York
‘Big Blue’ (curated by Peter Lewis), Century City, Tate Modern, London
2000
‘The Redroom’, Five Years, London
‘There is plenty of sunshine in summer’, Outline, Amsterdam
‘Dark Pop’, Five Years, London
1999
‘Interior/Interior’, Danielle Arnaud, London
1998
‘Silent Movies’, Five Years, London
‘Playing And Reality’, Salon II, London
‘What Is A Photograph?’, Five Years, London
‘United in Death’ (curated by Susan Morris), Cambridge Darkroom Gallery
1997
‘Big Blue’ (curated by Peter Lewis), Coins, London
‘accident’, accident, London
1995
‘Infanta’, The View, Liverpool
1994
‘Miniatures’, The Agency, London
1993
The Infanta of Castile, London
Raum fur Neue Kunst, Zurich
1992
‘Brit Art’, (curated by Christopher Bledowski & Paulo Bianchi), Kunsthaus, Glarus, Switzerland
SELECTED PERFORMANCE, RECORDING, COLLABORATIONS:
METAHORROR – ongoing collaborative project with Kristaps Ancāns and invited artists. Presented as a series of screenings (Lethaby Gallery, London 2023) and gallery installations (BOTH Gallery London, 2024; The Good Rice, London 2025)
Extracurricular – collaborative live work with Owen Parry and students, staff and alumni of MA Fine Art at Central Saint Martins and MA POST at the Art Academy of Latvia (Lethaby Gallery, London 2024)
Bad Ideas Collective – ongoing collaborative project with Kristaps Ancans, Alex Schady and invited artists. Presented as a website (www.badideascollective.com 2020 / ongoing), screening (Lethaby Gallery, London 2021) and gallery installation (Tallin Art Hall 2022 – 23)
The Department of Subjective Archaeology – collaborative installation and participatory live work with Jean Pierre Muller and MA students from Central St Martins, ENSAV La Cambre (Brussels) and HGB (Leipzig). Presented at ‘Annihilation Event’, Lethaby Gallery London 2017
Impositions – collaborative installation and participatory live work with Alex Schady. Presented at ‘This is an Art School’, Tate Exchange, London 2017
Seances 1-4 / Drawing Seances – collaborative video and participatory live work with Kjetil Berge and Mark Aerial Waller. Presented at Winchester School of Art (December 2014) and at ‘Drawing the World’, Central Saint Martins, London (October 2015)
Bubblegum’s Funeral – working title for a series of collaborative image / text dialogues with the writer Paul Curran, 2012 – 2014 / ongoing
Grammar, Procedure, Rehearse / Replace – three single channel digital videos made in collaboration with Paul Curran (text), Jonny Liron (performance), E W Deraze (sound) and Nick Hudson (camera). Supported using public funding by Arts Council England and presented as part of the installation ‘Bubblegum’s Funeral’ at Punk & Sheep, London 2014
Time Theft E2162 – soundtrack for Esther Planas’ video (recorded with Dirty Snow), screened at La Capella / Institut de Cultura de Barcelona, 2010
Dirty Snow – collaborative live performances with Esther Planas and support from various artists and musicians including at: La Capella / Institut de Cultura de Barcelona, 2010, Rock My Illusion (group exhibition, Fundacio Boti, Granada 2007), Brain Jelly (live art showcase, UCE, Birmingham, 2004), City of Libertines (supporting The Libertines at The Rhythm Factory, London, 2003), Club Esther (On the Rocks, London 2003 / 2004); and at Outline, Amsterdam; Galerie Nikki Diana Marquardt, Paris; and at the Clinic, 291 Gallery, Hackney Empire, Skint and Minted (supporting the Libertines), Old Seager Distillery, Five Years Gallery and 30 Underwood St Gallery , London 1999 -2002
A Beginning – performance / reading with Susan Morris of collaborative textual work, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, 2003
Losing Control – soundtrack for Esther Planas’ video (recorded with Dirty Snow), screened at South London Gallery; Fundacio Boti, Granada (2007); Museum of Contemporary Art, Ibiza; U.C.E, Birmingham (2003); Kunstmuseum Thun; Kunsthalle, Bergen; Kunsthalle,Wilhemshaven; Het Domein, Sittard; Metronom, Fundacio Rafael Tous D’art Contemporani, Barcelona (2002)
Lightning’s Girl – performance with Dirty Snow of the song by Nancy Sinatra in the film ‘Love in a Cold Climate’ by Michael Curran (funded by Arts Council England, screened at Smart Projects, Amsterdam; NFT, London), 2003
Princess Dream – audio track (recorded with Dirty Snow) on Underwood Audio compilation CDs, released September 2002
DS 4 – Limited 12inch vinyl edition –100 – recorded and produced by Dirty Snow, June 2002
Song Poems – video performance with Dirty Snow in collaboration with Peter Lloyd Lewis and Mark Harris, exhibited as part of the group show ‘Song Poems’, Cohan Leslie and Brown, New York + 2 songs included on CD compilation and catalogue, released 2001
Lost Rabbit – soundtrack for Esther Planas’ video (recorded with Dirty Snow), broadcast on Metropolis, TVE channel, Spain, May 2001
Sweet Snow White – audio track (recorded with Dirty Snow) on Evensong Recordings compilation CD, released February 2001
A Choreographed Argument on Movement and Stillness – reading / performance with Susan Morris, Painting and Time Conference, Hull University 1998
VISUAL PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLISHED WRITING:
“Cast’, 10 untitled drawings from the series, included in Anthology, Infinity Land Press 2021
‘Fragments for an Anti-Fascist Newsletter’, ongoing collaborative publication project (with Edward Dorrian, Esi Eshun, Liz Murray, Esther Planas & supported using public funding by Arts Council England), reproduced in The Journal of Aesthetics and Protest issue 11 2020
Cover painting for the novel Left Hand by Paul Curran, Civil Coping Mechanisms 2014
‘Faraway So Close’ (text on Dan Hays), Turps magazine, Autumn / Winter 2008
‘There Will be Guests at the Hall’, Underwood (collaborative publication with Anouchka Grose, Mathew Hale, Susan Morris, Esther Planas), Five Years, London 2008
‘(Four by Four (1))’, Five Years Periodical Vol 1, No. 2, Five Years, London 2007
‘The Hangman and the Black and White Minstrel’, illustrations to the story by Cedar Lewisohn, Frozen Tears III, Article Press 2007
‘Structure and Drift’, interview with Dennis Cooper, untitled drawings and paintings, Metal Magazine, Summer 2006
Untitled drawing & ‘A Beginning’ (text in collaboration with Susan Morris), included in Tender Prey, publication accompanying the exhibition at Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam 2003
Untitled drawing, included in Volume no. 0, Zing Magazine Publications, New York 2002
‘Edward Dorrian: Contingency and Incident’, article for Filmwaves Magazine no. 18, London 2002
Untitled drawings, included in Dark Star nos. 1.2 & 3, published by Esther Planas in association with Five Years, London / Barcelona 1999-2001
Welcome to the Secret Lands and the Secret Worlds (joint publication with Esther Planas and introductory essay by David Lillington), Danielle Arnaud, London 2000
Untitled Sequence no. 1 (solo publication – drawings and text), Five Years, London 1999
Catalogue introduction, Perfume, Danielle Arnaud, London 1999
Untitled text and drawings, included in United in Death, Cambridge Darkroom Publications 1998
REVIEWS / BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Dagmara Genda, ‘Bad Ideas and Good Art: On the Uncertainty of Value’, Berlin Art Link, February 2023
Steve Finbow, ‘Disquiesting Ambiences’, 3:AM Magazine, March 2022
Steve Finbow, ‘Introduction’, Anthology, Infinity Land Press 2021
Adelle Stripe, ‘Luxury Complex: New Faces in Hell’, Excavate! The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall, Ed. Tessa Norton and Bob Stanley, Faber & Faber, London 2021
Simon Crump, ‘Luxury Complex: Remembering Satan’, 3:AM Magazine, April 2015
Shuyu Guo, ‘3AM: wonder, paranoia and the restless night at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff’, Thewalesweekly.wordpress.com, February 2014
Angela Kingston, ‘3AM: wonder, paranoia and the restless night’, 3AM, Liverpool University Press 2013
Steffan Jones-Hughes, ‘3AM: wonder, paranoia and the restless night’, CCQ Magazine, Winter 2013
Anneka French, ‘3AM’, Thisistomorrow.info, October 2013
Mike Pinnington,‘Up all night? The Bluecoat gets restless after dark’, Creativetourist.com, October 2013
Beth Harland (editor), Behind the Eyes – Making Pictures, RGAP 2013
Heike Kelter, Rene Luckhardt (editors), Transzendenz Inc., Transzendenz Inc Imprint 2010
Sophie Hill, ‘Supernatural’, Postcardwall.wordpress.com, November 2010
Peter Lewis, ‘London Calling’, East End Promise, Our History 2010
Alexander Lass, ‘Die Couch als Lebensmittelpunkt’, Artmagazine.cc, June 2009
Ole Hagen, ‘The Placebo of Love’, Five Years Periodical Vol 2, No. 1, Five Years, London 2008
David Selden, ‘Underwood’, Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art, February 2008
Alex Michon, ‘Darkling Dream Home’, The Critical Friend, Summer 2007
David Lillington, ‘Ghosts, Magic, Enchantment’, Metropolis M, April 2006
Aernoot Hagen & Dirk Jan Jager, Introduction, Do it Yourself – Outline Projecten 2001 / 2002, Stichting Outline 2004
Esther Planas, ‘Post – Porno’, AB Magazine, October 2004
Arjan Reinders, ‘Erotische kunst, suggestieve seks, Nick Cave en Kylie Mynogue‘, Tubelight 29, November 2003
Cedar Lewisohn, ‘Crime Scene Investigation’, LAB 04, Autumn / Winter 2002
Pascale Ammar-Khodja, ‘Fata Morgana aux Beaux-Arts’, L’Art vues, Dec 01 / Jan 02
S. Wise, ‘The Many Meanings of Skank’, wburg.com, vol. 1, no. 4, Summer 2001
Holland Cotter, ‘Skank’, New York Times, June 1 2001
Martin Herbert, ‘The Red Room’, Time Out, Nov 29 – Dec 6 2000
Erik Hagoort, ‘Geboduurde eerste klooertje sperma, de Volkskrant, 26 July 2000
David Lillington, ‘Esther Planas – Marc Hulson’, Welcome to the Secret Lands and the Secret Worlds,
Danielle Arnaud 2000
Paul O’Kane, ‘London’, Circa, Autumn 1999
Martin Herbert, ‘Marc Hulson’, Time Out, July 7-14 1999
Paul O’Kane, ‘Interior Interior’, Contemporary Visual Arts, April 1999
Mark Currah, ‘Silent Movies’, Time Out, January 1999
Gilda Williams, ‘What is a Photograph’, Art Monthly, September 1998
Martin Herbert, ‘Playing and Reality’, Time Out, July 1998
Morgan Falconer, ‘Silence makes a moving key to the subconscious’, Highbury and Islington Express, July 1998
Naomi Siderfin, Introduction, Occupational Hazard – Critical Writing on Recent British Art, Black Dog Publishing 1998
Tania Guha, ‘The Infanta of Castile’, Time Out, June 1993
David Lillington, ‘The Infanta of Castile’, Time Out, June 1992
Annelise Zwez, ‘Brit Art’, Artis Magazine, June 1992
Simon Maurer, ‘Pelz und Plastic – Typisch Britisch’, Zurich Tages Anzeiger, Nov 1991
Marc Hulson 